Having a beautiful pond in your landscaping can enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property, create a habitat for wildlife and offer recreational activities to your family. Keeping it maintained is critical for optimum enjoyment and to prevent a future eyesore. Here are some ways to care for the pond on your land.
Prevent Algae Blooms
A small amount of algae in your pond is fine because it’s a food source for fish and other aquatic animals. When the algae grows too fast, however, it can cause major nutrient imbalances in your water. Proper aquatic weed control is necessary through the use of algaecides or natural methods. You can add plants, such as water hyacinths and lettuce, that use large amounts of nutrients to help maintain algae growth.
Clean Up Debris
It’s extremely important to continually remove sticks, leaves and other natural debris from the pond water before they begin to decay. These natural elements can throw off the balance of the pond ecosystem and create toxic buildup. Pond vacuums are a useful tool to manage the sludge layers on the bottom of your water feature. It can suck up dirt, debris and decayed organic matter.
Maintain Equipment
Ponds contain pumps, filters, lines and fountains which run for many hours at a time. Because of this constant effort, it’s important to check the equipment regularly to ensure the parts are working well. It’s crucial to check for debris buildup in the filters or pump system and remove clogs early. Cleaning chemicals can be used to remove limescale and algae that grow along the lines and in the fountain.
Refill the Pond
In the summer months, when the water evaporates quickly in the heat, it’s important to top off the pond water regularly to prevent a loss of oxygen in the water. This can be done weekly during the hottest months of the year to keep your pond environment as healthy as possible.
Aerate Well
Aeration is key to maintaining oxygen levels in your pond. Fountains, bubblers and waterfalls can all be used to stir up the water and reintroduce oxygen regularly. Plenty of oxygen in the water means you get to enjoy healthier plants and fish.
A backyard pond can provide a meditative space when you add Koi fish or a waterfall, while a large pond can allow for fishing and kayaking. Have fun on your own land when you properly maintain the pond on your property.